Game device

ABSTRACT

A game device of the type having an enclosure affording a tortuous passage for a playing piece to be deposited therein with openings in opposed faces of the enclosure for attempted interception of the playing piece as it travels through the tortuous passage. The openings are preferably misaligned. A supporting base is provided having separate compartments for storage of intercepted playing pieces and a further compartment for reception of those playing pieces which have completed traversal of the tortuous passageway. Scooplike interception tools are provided for insertion through the apertures in the enclosure for attempted interception of playing pieces.

United States Patent Breslow 51 Feb. 1, 1972 [54] GAME DEVICE Primary Examiner-Richard C. Pinkham [72] inventor. Jeffrey D. Breslow, Chicago, Ill. Assistant Examiner paul E Shapiro [73] Assignee: Marvin Glass & Associates Azt0rneyHofgren, Wegner, Allen, Stellman & McCord [22] Filed: Aug. 8, 1969 ABSTRACT 21 A LN 848573 a l 1 pp 0 A game device of the type having an enclosure affording a tortuous passage for a playing piece to be deposited therein with US. Cl R, R, 20 R penings in opposed faces of the enclosure for attempted in. terccption of the playing piece as it travels through the tor- [58] Field of Search ..273/1, 1 10, 120, 124, I26, mus passasa The openings are preferably misalignm A 273/95 R porting base is provided having separate compartments for storage of intercepted playing pieces and a further compart- [56] References cued ment for reception of those playing pieces which have UNITED STATES PATENTS completed traversal of the tortuous passageway. Scooplike interceptlon tools are provided for 1nsert1on through the aper- 1,275,613 Sedlak, .II' R tures in the enclosure for attempted interception of 2,571,521 10/1951 Barnhan ..273/120 R ux pieces 2,711,900 6/1955 Tressler........ ....273/l26 R X 2,899,206 8/1959 Carter ..273/ l 20 R 4 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures GAME DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to an improvement in game devices.

2. Brief Description of the Prior Art It is well known that game devices that utilize a random moving playing piece capture the fascination and attention of the participants of the game. Moreover, those games which involve an element of dexterity and reaction on the part of the participants, such as in attempting to intercept the random movement of a playing piece, also strongly captivate the interest of the participants. This is even further so in those cases where the action on the part of the participants is simultaneously competitive. There is a continuing need and desire in the game art to provide games of such a character as will captivate the interest of the participants and hold their fascination for extended periods of time which are further capable of enjoyment and use by even inexperienced participants due to the simplicity in structure of the operation of the games. It is to the satisfaction of this need and desire that the present invention is directed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention is directed to the provision of an improved game of the type employing a game element or playing piece which travels through a random tortuous passage.

The best mode currently contemplated by me for carrying out this invention includes the provision of a generally boxlike enclosure having transverse pins defining the interior random tortuous passageway, and openings provided at the top of the enclosure for depositing a playing piece, such as a marblelike element'therein. Opposite faces of the enclosure have misaligned openings. Scooplike elements are provided for insertion in the openings in an attempt to intercept the playing piece as it descends through the tortuous passage.

A base element is provided for supporting the enclosure with an inverted V-shaped bottom and upstanding ribs affording separate compartments for intercepted playing pieces. The bottom of the enclosure has a downwardly inclined ramp for directing playing pieces which have completed the descent through the tortuous passageway out one end of the bottom thereof into a separate compartment of the vase.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the game device of this inventlon;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged broken elevational view of the game device of this invention;

FIG. 3 is a section view taken generally along the lines 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the intercepting tool or scoop element utilized with the game of this invention; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the base element utilized with the game device of this invention.

While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail a specific embodiment therefor, with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplifrcation of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the embodiment illustrated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The game of this invention includes a game stand generally indicated 12, a plurality of playing pieces 14, preferably in the form of marblelike elements or similar balllike pieces and the playing piece interception or capturing tool 16. As best seen in FIG. 4, the tool 16 is preferably a scooplike member having a flat handle 18, a U-shaped scoop area 20 comprising spaced sides 20a and 20b and a bottom 20c which .is elongate and projects beyond the area of sidewalls 20a and 20b.

The game stand 12 includes a game base 24 which is generally traylike in configuration. Base 24 includes upstanding spaced sidewalls 26a, 26b and front and rear walls 26c, 26d, generally forminga rectangular enclosure. A bottom 28 spans the walls 26a, 26b, 26c and 26d'and is generally inverted V-shaped in configuration including downwardly divergent bottom sections 28a and 28b which extend from a medial apex 28c to a juncture with the bottom of front and rear walls 26c and 26d.

The base 24 includes a rib 30 which extends generally across the apex 28c of bottom 28 from sidewall 26a to a terminal end 30a spaced from sidewall 26b. Spaced, generally parallel, cross ribs 32, 34 and 36 span the base from the rear wall 260 to the front wall 26d to form, in combination with the rib 30, plural compartment means for storing intercepted playing pieces, such as the compartments 38a and 38b; 40a and 40b; and 42a and 42b. It is intended that the bottom of these compartments may be provided with indicia such as the indicia 38c, 40c and 420, so that playing pieces captured at a different point in their travel and thereby reflecting a different value for the capture may be deposited in compartments having indicia which indicate these differences in value.

A further compartment 43 is formed at one end of the base between a rib 36 and wall 26b, this being in the area where the rib 30 has its terminal end 300 spaced from wall 26b. It is intended'that this compartment 43 would receive those playing pieces that complete their journey through the game of this invention, and have notbeen intercepted.

The base further includes a spaced pair of upstanding posts 44 and 46 adjacent walls 260 and 26b, respectively. It is intended that these posts would form one part of a slot and post arrangement for assembling the components of the game stand together.

The game stand 12 further includes an upper or passage portion 48 which provides a means for affording a tortuous passage for the playing pieces 14 and a further means for intercepting the playing pieces 14 or gaining access to their path of travel during movement of the playing pieces through the tortuous passage. Upright member 48 includes a spaced pair of thin, elongate sidewalls 50 and 52, the interior of each of which are spaced apart a distance approximately the same as the exterior of posts 44and 46.

A top 54 having an opening 54a spans the sidewalls at the top thereof, and a front face 56 and rear face 58 also span the sides to form an enclosure. The opening 54a provides a means for the initial deposit of a playing piece into the enclosure and passageway formed therein to be described. The front and rear faces 56 and 58 are spaced apart a distance approximating the width of each post 44 and 46 so that the enclosure afforded by the member 48 snugly embraces the posts 44 and 46 when the two are telescoped together in a post and slot fashion.

The member 48 includes a means forming a random tortuous passage therethrough. In the preferred embodiment this is accomplished by a plurality of pin like elements 60 which span the front and rear faces 56 and 58. Means are further provided for gaining limited access to the tortuous passageway at different areas thereof. In the preferred embodiment, this means takes the form of openings in each face, such as the openings 62a, 62b, 62c and 62d in front face 56 and the openings 64a, 64b, 64c and 64d in rear face 58. Preferably, these openings are not in alignment with each other. indicia such as indicia 66a and 66b may be provided adjacent the openings to represent thedifferent value assigned to a ball intercepted at different points along thepassageway. It is intended that these indicia would correspond to the indicia formed in the base so that a ball intercepted at different points would be deposited in a related compartment in the base and assigned a given value for its interception.

At the bottom of the member 48 a rib 68 spans the front and rear faces 56 and 58 between a point closely spaced from wall 50 a distance to permit post 44 to extend therebetween, and a terminal end 68a more widely spaced from wall 52. Generally speaking, this rib forms a downwardly inclined ramp towards one side of the member 48. The purpose of the ramp is to feed playing pieces 14 which have completed theirjourney through the passageway afforded by the enclosure downwardly and outwardly towards one side of the bottom of the member 48. It is intended that when the components 24 and 48 are assembled together the lower or free end 68a of ramp 68 would be adjacent the free end 30a of rib 30 of the base so that the playing pieces 14 would be fed into compartment 43 having no indicia, indicating that no value is assigned to the playing pieces which have not been intercepted.

To play the game, the competitors position themselves on opposite sides thereof, such as one competitor facing face 56 and the other competitor facing face 58. Playing pieces 14 are deposited through the opening 54a in top 54 and the players utilize the tool 16 to attempt to intercept the playing pieces as they follow a rapid descent through the tortuous passageway provided by the enclosure of upright member 48. Depending upon if and where a playing piece is intercepted, it is assigned a value for its interception corresponding to the indicia underlying the opening or aperture from which the playing piece was withdrawn. For example, if a player should successfully insert tool 16 through opening 62a in such a fashion as to intercept the playing piece thereat, the value of the interception would be three, as indicated by indicia 6611. Thus, the player would then deposit playing piece 14 into the compartment 38b where interceptions worth three points are to be deposited as indicated by the indicia 380 in the compartment. Each player may vie for the same playing piece and this simultaneous competitive action is promoted by the provision of the several openings 62a through 62d and 6411 through 64d being misaligned relative to each other so that the interception tools 16 do not interfere with each other. Of course, another obvious modification of the game would be to align the openings so that the interference of the tools would further provide some sort of a competitive element to the game. Those playing pieces 14 which are not intercepted eventually descent on ramp 68 and fall into the compartment 43 which indicates no value to be assigned to those playing pieces. A player having the most total points is determined the winner after the supply of playing pieces has been deposited through opening 54a.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom, as some modifications may be obvious to those skilled in the art.

lclaim:

l. A game device comprising: enclosure means affording a substantially enclosed tortuous passageway between spacedapart, generally parallel walls; an opening in a top portion of the enclosure means; a playing piece ofa size and shape to be received in said opening and move into the enclosed tortuous passageway; means for gaining access to the passageway at different areas thereof comprising a plurality of openings in each of said walls; said wall openings in each of said spaced-apart walls being axially misaligned with the openings in said other spaced-apart wall, a pair of interception tools of a size and shape to be removably received in said wall openings for intercepting said playing piece in its path of travel through the tortuous passageway; whereby a playing piece deposited in the enclosure for gravity responsive travel through the tortuous passage thereof may be intercepted in its path of travel by insertion of an intercepting tool into one of said openings.

2. The game device of claim 1 further including a base for supporting the enclosure means with compartments in the base for receiving intercepted and nonintercepted playing pieces.

3. The game device of claim 1 wherein the enclosure further includes ramp means at the bottom thereof for directing playing pieces which have completed the path of travel through the passageway outwardly of one portion of the enclosure.

4. The game device ofclaim 1 wherein the interception tool is a scooplike element. 

1. A game device comprising: enclosure means affording a substantially enclosed tortuous passageway between spaced-apart, generally parallel walls; an opening in a top portion of the enclosure means; a playing piece of a size and shape to be received in said opening and move into the enclosed tortuous passageway; means for gaining access to the passageway at different areas thereof comprising a plurality of openings in each of said walls; said wall openings in each of said spacedapart walls being axially misaligned with the openings in said other spaced-apart wall, a pair of interception tools of a size and shape to be removably received in said wall openings for intercepting said playing piece in its path of travel through the tortuous passageway; whereby a playing piece deposited in the enclosure for gravity responsive travel through the tortuous passage thereof may be intercepted in its path of travel by insertion of an intercepting tool into one of said openings.
 2. The game device of claim 1 further including a base for supporting the enclosure means with compartments in the base for receiving intercepted and nonintercepted playing pieces.
 3. The game device of claim 1 wherein the enclosure further includes ramp means at the bottom thereof for directing playing pieces which have completed the path of travel through the passageway outwardly of one portion of the enclosure.
 4. The game device of claim 1 wherein the interception tool is a scooplike element. 